Human
by DreamsOfStardustAndRoses
Summary: With Dean fresh from Hell, he and Sam are hellbent on facing whatever pulled Dean from the pit. When their crusade for the truth crosses paths with that of an ambitious stranger, they unwittingly sign on for far more trouble than they expected. This stranger is far more than meets the eye and may prove to play a role in the war at hand, whether Sam and Dean like it or not. (AU)
1. Prologue: Earth Angel

There is not a creature in existence that is without flaw. Even the Creator of all creatures is riddled with flaws. If He wasn't, those that were _made in his image_ would also know perfection. However, as a very intelligent man once said, "To err is human." The statement, while not wrong, is obviously not all-inclusive. But, how was an egocentric race meant to know anything outside of itself? C'est la vie.

Angels are subject to this rule, despite having been perceived to be immaculate – a fabrication of the human mind, surely, for angels were not meant to be faultless guardians. Angels were meant to be soldiers. Rather, they were meant to be the ideal soldier – unquestioning, without desire, well-mannered. And, with each that was created, a step was taken towards that ideal. The first five, however, were more human than what is known to be an Angel today.

These five were known as the Archangels: Azrael, Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel. These were meant to be God's most fearsome soldiers, the model for all other Angels. However, they proved to be more unstable than intended - Azrael especially so. With free reign of the full spectrum of emotion, she was prone to defiance, to curiosity, to fear, to concern. Yet, despite his flawed creations, He realized He, too, was flawed and could not bring himself to destruction.

These five were meant to keep each other in balance: Azrael handled matters of empathy and patience, Michael justice and charity, Lucifer courage and chastity, Raphael prudence and impartiality, and Gabriel diligence and joy. But, the combination of innate desire and immense power unsurprisingly quickly proved to be problematic.

Each Archangel had their limitations and the emotional spectrum of further Angels was soon chiseled down to nothing as God perfected his formulation. Unfortunately, the very first of his creations continued to always be an excusable hitch in His plans, a deviant from the crowd, an outcast. The laws for unwavering obedience were set in place and she consistently broke them. Thus, it was only fitting to cast her from heaven.

While the others saw this as the greatest punishment, she perceived it otherwise. The Earth was created shortly after and filled with creations that were far more like her than her brothers ever were. It was clear, even to her, that her place was not in Heaven and, though her father never breathed a word of it, she began to think of the Earth as a gift rather than punishment– a realm for her to watch over and be the protector of, as Lucifer came to be the ruler of Hell.

Before He cast her, she was given a final gift: a body of her own to enjoy all the pleasures that came with being one of God's favorite flawed creatures. There were stipulations, however, and she became susceptible to several human needs - hunger, thirst, sleep. Without these, her power would diminish and soon her vessel would begin to deteriorate. Luckily, these needs were easy enough to appease and Earth soon became her home. The sense of alienation was soon ebbed away by the presence of the new creations. Still, her purpose was unclear, a delicate realm of existence for an angel. Thus, she kept to herself, a passive player in the lives of humans.

Still, those that asked from her, often received. She would provide for the creatures that she saw as incapable and innocent. And, in the beginning, they called her god. They called her miracle. They called her law. The years passed slowly and without too much cause for concern. Rarely, when a problem arose, she would swiftly take care of it. The humans revered her and worshiped her, but she found the limelight dissatisfying, selfish, and blasphemous. When the pagan gods rose to the occasion, she hardly fought to keep the attention she once had.

Then, they called her human and they called her woman. She was no longer a deviant among the masses. Her desires and her concerns were commonplace as was her appearance. The use of her abilities was unnecessary for there were many creatures that struggled for power and attention so that no one creature could garner it all. So she would watch, passive and pensive as the world spun and spun without her interaction.

Finally, they began to call her legend. They called her story. They called her rumor. Her existence was questioned. Her powers were the punchline to a joke. A belief that was once thought to be pious was now childish and the humans grew "out" of it, instead of being raised into it. Her purpose was again called into question and she began to wonder if this was the better fate.

And, soon, the Earth was so full of people that it swallowed her whole and they called her nothing at all. Her name was scrawled in books that were called ancient with curling, yellowing pages but the humans assured each other that it meant nothing. The times that her name crossed another's lips were few and far between. And, the Archangel knew then how one could feel lonely while never being alone.


	2. There's No Such Thing

The smell of cheap alcohol and cigarette smoke hung heavily in the air of Jo-Jo's Bar, despite the fact that smoking hadn't been permitted within in the bar for the past handful of decades. The stifling scent was likely embedded in the peeling wallpaper after years of service. Since the usual patrons had grown accustomed to it and the tourists never stuck around, there was no motivation to fix it.

The place was rundown and quaint, just on the outskirts of town with a neon sign that had just enough working letters to get its point across. It was the kind of place that you could saunter into and grab a drink with no questions asked and none of that superficial small talk that bartenders typically tried to engage customers in. Put simply, it was a hunter hotspot.

Back on earth and in his impala, Dean was set on covering the lost ground of the past few months in hell. Sam, however, was not quite as enthusiastic as his brother. Nevertheless, Dean was in the driver's seat and house rules gave him the authority to make an executive decision, a decision that landed them in the cracked parking lot of the self-dubbed "o-J B r."

The crowd was fairly regular with the majority more interested in drinking and shacking up than in conversation. As such, the congestion collected around the bar, leaving the dimly lit billiards table unoccupied, save for a slim brunette. She was idly practicing pool while talking on the phone, her eyes flitting to the door at every sound of the bell.

"A demon? _Really_ , Penelope?" Her tone was drenched in doubt as she speaks into the cell phone pinned between her right ear and shoulder, letting the pool cue slide easily between her fingers sending the white ball speeding forward before it collided with a red ball and emitted a satisfying _click_.

"It's not that I believe it's _nothing_ , sweetheart," She sighed, straightening her back as her eyes grazed lazily on the balls on the green felt. She had been practicing for an hour or so, waiting for the right person to come waltzing through the door. Normally, she would have been more discreet with her conversations – even with familiar company – but the Saturday night chatter easily drowned her out.

"I just don't think it's a _demon_. Sounds more like a poltergeist. Listen, Penelope. I've dealt with demons, nasty business. It's not that a poltergeist _isn't_. It's just that…" She paused, turning away from the table and dropping one end of her cue to the ground as she rolled in her hand. As Penelope droned out about her concerns, her free hand snakes its way to her pinned cellphone, sliding it from its secure location and shifting it to the other side of her head.

"Right. Mhm. Okay. Well," The woman dragged out the word to a short tune, her gaze disinterestedly bouncing from one person at the bar to the next. She continued, "I'm just warning you. If I show up to deal with a _demon_ and it ends up being a _poltergeist_ , it's bad news bears, Penelope. I can deal with it – _whatever_ it is – but, if I show up with the wrong stuff, as you know, it costs you double... Right. Okay. Well, as long as you remember that."

The sound of the door of the bar opening momentarily caught the woman's attention. A smile slowly crept across her face as she studied the two gentlemen that had entered. She practically felt the cockiness rolling off in waves, crashing against the sexed-up atmosphere of the bar. The only concern was that mopey might drag her target away before she had the chance to toy with him too much. Still, she was willing to do anything for a little entertainment at this point in the night.

"Alright. Sounds like a plan. I'll be there quick as I can. Give me a day or two? Alright. Yes, alright. Gotta go. Stay safe," The brunette quickly hung up, spinning on her heels to face the pool table once more as the two men approach the bar. She crudely jutted her cue towards the white ball, popping it up into the air and sending it flying away from the pool table.

" _Shit_. Not _again_ ," She pouted, hoping that her comment was loud enough for the gentlemen to overhear. She half-heartedly jogged to catch it before it rolls away to some mysterious place. Crouching down to pick it up, she noticed the pair of shoes beside her and her gaze is soon running up their respective legs and finds itself locked with the stranger's green eyes. Dean's gaze disapprovingly dropped to the ball at his feet, ready to let the bastard that sent it his way have it. But, watching brunette curls appear, he had to stop himself from audibly whistling.

"Sorry," She remarked sheepishly, rising to her feet to meet his eyes before her gaze darts back to the pool table. Hook, line, and sinker.

Her apology made it to his ears a few seconds too late and those wide, innocent brown eyes made his stomach flip. _Damn_. It took him a second to recollect him, turning to Sam and silently expressing his amazement before taking on his typical charismatic approach.

"You having trouble? You know, I could show you a thing or two," Dean grinned, clasping Sam's shoulder. _And, not just in pool_ , the thought was all too quick to cross Dean's mind so he didn't wait to see Sam's eyes roll before he pushed Sam lightly towards the bar. "Be a gentleman an' grab us a couple of drinks, Sammy."

"Ah... Uh..." Sam was struggling to form a complete thought in his mind, let alone bring his lips to speak it. The entire mood of the night had shifted in an instant and Sam was suddenly on board with the idea of spending a few hours here. Fortunately, Sam brought himself out of his stunned silence to mutter, "Okay."

The woman's gaze slid over to the taller gentleman who had yet to move an inch, an easy smile gracing her lips at his stunned babbling. This was going to be easier than she thought. She let her gaze linger just a fraction of a second too long, drop just a fraction of a degree lower, and her smile to take on just a fraction more of a flirtatious appearance. Everything she did was calculated, perfectly formulated to inspire just a smidge of competition and string the boys along. Quality entertainment.

"You really don't have to get me anything. I'd hate to take your money," She remarked as she bats her eyelashes at the taller gentleman - Sam, was it? - before biting her lip and shyly returning her gaze to his green-eyed counterpart, just in time to catch his gaze. The silent communication to his larger companion very clearly screamed _Don't fuck this up for me_. Pretty Boy insisted that Sasquatch - she _was_ fond of nicknames - still get her something to drink, but she didn't bother to listen to what exactly that was. The names of drinks hardly meant anything to her.

Sam complied with little resistance, leaving her and Dean to themselves. He was quick to lead her to the pool table, taking the earliest chance he could to wrap his arms around her and lean against her as he leads her arms into a strong shot that she could have easily taken by herself.

Shortly after, Sam brought the pair their respective drinks and, at her gratitude, allowed himself to interrupt their game by striking up a conversation. He could practically feel Dean's irritation, but, if he had even half a chance with her, he was going to take it.

"Wh-what did you say your name was?" He stumbled over his words a little as his gaze shoots to Dean who was mouthing a variety of obscenities to Sam.

"Uh, I didn't. But it's Eva," She responded with a beaming smile.

"Eva? I'm Sam," He extended a hand to her and she had to shift the pool cue and beer awkwardly to get a free hand. It was at her awkward chuckle that Sam realized that a handshake was, perhaps, not the best way to introduce himself and didn't quite set the mood as he intended to.

The conversation didn't get much farther as Dean was quick to insert himself by giving Sam a _playful_ shove at which Sam was not all too subtle in expressing his displeasure. Nevertheless, Dean regained the upper hand as he and Eva returned to their pool lesson, leaving Sam to take a seat at the bar on his own. Sam had grown accustomed to Dean getting the girl, but he couldn't help but hope. In Dean's absence, he had taken up some of his other brother's tendencies and, now that the natural order was restored, he was on the fence on what kind of life he wanted to lead. Regardless, this wasn't the sort of place for heavy thinking.

As Sam found some company in the bartender, Eva played along with Dean – giggling when he whispers in her ear, missing shots when he lets her try on her own, building a mock confidence in her falsely poor skills. She was certain, however, to take the opportunity to smile and wave to Sam when Pretty Boy wasn't paying his full attention - which was hardly ever. They carried on like this for a while, teasing and joking and flirting, until she finally decided to get the show on the road.

"I bet ten bucks that I can beat you in a game now," She confidently exclaimed, spinning around to face him after pocketing a single ball after a long string of terrible shots on her own.

"No, no, no. I don't... That wouldn't be fair," Dean's insistedwith a chuckle as he takes a shot, missing by a wide enough margin for her to notice that it was clearly purposeful. She couldn't help but wonder if this charade _actually_ worked on other women.

"What? Don't you trust in your own teaching?" She asked absentmindedly as pulls out a ten from her wallet and smacks it down onto the pool table, sure to flash her wallet which was, by no means, lacking. The sight must have been rather persuasive as it only took a little more prodding to convince him. Though, she was certain his persistence was only theatrics for the sake of upholding the facade of him being a gentleman.

The following game was painstakingly slow and tedious as they were both doing the worst that they could absolutely manage. Nevertheless, she won by a narrow margin and expressed great joy in this accomplishment as she snatched up her winnings. Her celebration was cut short as a thought had apparently crossed her mind suddenly as she goes digging through her wallet once more.

"I bet _three hundred_ bucks that I can beat you again," She remarked, beaming with pride as she smacks a fistful of cash onto the pool table.

Dean's eyes widened with surprise. He certainly wasn't expecting her to increase her bet by that much. Now, he was walking the line on a delicate choice. He could leave the bar with a girl on his arm or with some much-needed cash or with neither. Scratching the back of his neck, his gaze shot to Sam sitting at the bar a few feet off. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Sam wasn't paying too much attention to the pair at this point. Regardless of what Dean chose, he didn't want Same to overhear. The last thing he needed was Sam's criticism, which he was often very liberal with.

"I dunno. You sure y-" Dean didn't even have the chance to finish his thought before she interrupted with a definitive, "I'm sure."

Eva paced closer to him, tucking at the lapels of his leather jacket as she looks up at him with wide eyes, "Look. It's a win-win for me. I either win some cash. Or we grab some food or... _something_ else."

If the emphasis on the word wasn't a big enough hint, her embarrassed chuckle and averted gaze were. Dean was occasionally a more critical thinker, but he was on the verge of desperation. It had been a long, long time and this girl... _Damn_ , this girl. Dean's eyes shot to Sam once more before he sighed ** _._**

"Fine. _Fine_ ," He answered with a breathy chuckle at her excitement.

It seemed no sooner had his money hit the table than the game was over. It was gut-wrenchingly short, the true nature of the game abundantly clear after her first flawless shot. And, he had given her too much of a lead to catch up. His displeasure was evident in his features as she counted and pocketed the cash, _his_ cash. Boy, Sammy was never going to let him hear the end of this one.

"You hustled me," He hissed through his teeth as his pool cue hit the wood trim of the table with a snap and he drew close to the brunette woman. The anger was more directed inward than everything, but Dean wasn't readily going to admit that. He did the same thing for Christ's sake. To hundreds, if not thousands, of people. He couldn't really be _that_ angry for being hustled. Still, he couldn't help himself.

"Oh, yeah," Eva responded in a sickeningly sweet voice that bounces up and down in intonation like a song.

"I'm more than just a pretty face. Such a shame you aren't," She remarked with a mock pity, drawing closer and straightening his jacket once again.

She gave him a sympathetic smile and turned to stride away from him, but he caught her wrist. With a mock shock, she turned back to him, her free hand pressed against her chest in teasing disbelief. There were only two ways this could go. He would either let her go or someone would _make_ him let her go. Regardless, she was going to have some fun with it.

"Now, that's no way to treat a lady," She insisted in a whisper with a wide smirk. Stepping in like the knight in shining armor he was, it appeared that Sam had caught wind of the argument between the pair and found Dean's reaction inappropriate. Dean typically reserved that sort of aggression for things he classified as subhuman and Sammy couldn't imagine that the girl could manage to do anything deserving of a similar response.

"Dean, what the hell?" Sam's voice was sharp and deep, his aggravation with Dean striking a different chord than normal. He stepped between his brother and the brunette, separating her from his death grip. Sam had tried to mentally rehearse what he would say to her given the chance, but this situation was far different that he could have conjured. After a moment to catch the breath he hadn't realized he lost, he settled on a soft, "Are… you okay?"

For a second, the thought crossed his mind that she might be something other than human and that his brother's reaction was warranted. A siren, maybe? That would explain quite a bit. Still, Sam forced himself to push the thought from his mind, hoping that she was just a normal girl. Certainly, they were both just being a little paranoid.

Eva was startled - if only slightly - by the sudden aggression between the boys. She had a feeling, however, that it wasn't all too uncommon for them and she wasn't the _direct_ cause of it. Still, she knew she was an integral part of the current situation. And, she thus felt obligated to intervene but the attention turned to her before she could formulate a complete thought.

"She- She took my money!" Dean exclaimed angrily, childishly as justification for his actions. Overhearing Dean's interjection, Sam was frankly relieved. He was terrified that any girl he developed a mild interest in would end up to be some monster. Regardless, Dean was certain she was undeserving of the kindness Sam was giving her. Sammy was a sucker for those sappy doe eyes and Dean convinced himself that, if he didn't intervene, they'd be out of another few hundred.

"I'm fine. I've dealt with far worse," Eva was in the middle of replying when Dean shoved Sam aside and took his place. While the batted eyelashes and embarrassed smile had been partially genuine in response to Sam's question, she couldn't help herself from overacting and perpetuating the already boiling anger in Pretty Boy. Every word that came out of the girl's mouth sounded superficial and obsequious now that he had had a run-in with her charm and she knew that he was still fuming. It was all just some innocent fun. Not that Dean had been let in on the joke.

"Give me my _damn_ money or I swear to God, I'll..." She could nearly taste the venom in his voice and she had to bite down on her lip to refrain from laughing in his face. She had stood up quite a bit scarier than a pretty face and some muscles on her own. This was a joke to her, though her opinion might have been swayed if she knew who he was exactly.

"Dean," Sam hissed to his brother as a reminder that they weren't dealing with some supernatural creature. It wasn't helping Sam's case that the girl seemed to want to perpetuate the argument.

"You'll what?" She questioned, testing the waters shamelessly to see how far she could take her little game. She leaned in close as well, practically chest to chest with Deans. If he wasn't so angry, he might've had a perfect opportunity to make a move. But, he was taking all this to heart. Silly boy. It _was_ just a game, after all.

"I'll..." He hesitated, despite his frustration, dangerous words dancing on the tip of his tongue. He paused to remind herself she was just a girl, a _normal_ girl as Sam was trying to communicate to him silently. Clenching and unclenching his jaw, he spit the words out: "Just give me _my_ money."

There was a long pause. It had seemed the bar had gone silent. It hadn't. It seemed like everyone was watching on the edge of their seats. They weren't. It seemed like Sammy was so damn _worried_ that Dean would do something stupid. He _was_. Finally, time started to move again as Eva pulled away with a breathy chuckle.

"Okay," She answered simply, the laughter audible in her voice, "Okay." She pulled out the cash and held it out to Dean who simply stared at it for a moment. He didn't expect it to be that easy. He then snatched it from her grasp and counted it to ensure every last cent had been returned to its rightful owner. Eva waited expectantly for some form of confirmation that he was satisfied - which she got when Dean glanced to Sam to gauge just how melodramatic he had appeared.

"Conned one too many times?" She asked, her tone still light and playful. Still, Dean was trying desperately to stay angry so that he didn't look like as much of an idiot as he felt and she could tell he was trying _very_ hard. He ignored her question as his thoughts flashed back to Bela Talbot who had left a very bitter taste in his mouth. Some things were better left unsaid.

"What? Aren't we friends now? Or do I have to buy a round of drinks?" She grinned, folding her arms over her chest.

Sam was thankful that the situation was easily resolved. However, despite the fact that he was fairly tempted by Eva's offer, he couldn't help but fear that sticking around would result in another argument. She seemed like a nice girl and she certainly wasn't hard to look at, but those qualities were just as concerning as they were attractive. It never was an _unappealing_ girl that was the root of their troubles. And, as much as he wanted to believe she was wholly innocent, he found himself questioning everything nowadays.

"Actually," he interjected, stepping to his older brother's side, "I think we're just going to head out. We've had enough adventure for one night, right, Dean?"

Despite the fact that it sounded as if he were asking a question, Sam wasn't leaving much up to his brother. The brothers would have been far better off if they had gone with his suggestion of turning in earlier for a busy day of tracking whatever pulled Dean from the pit, Sam had convinced himself. The reason behind driving out this way seemed to have been lost on Dean at some point throughout the night.

Dean, however, was torn between whether or not he should move past his frustrations and continue to work towards making a move on the girl. She appeared very aware of his intentions yet had failed to outright reject him – a sign that she was still interested to Dean. The potential of salvaging the night was very appealing and Dean had opened his mouth to suggest a reconciliation when Sam shot him down. While Dean tried to stammer out his proposal despite Sam's interactions, Eva could only manage an amused smile amongst the disagreement.

Once the younger had his brother convinced that he wasn't going to take no for answer, the taller Winchester turned his attention once again to the brunette woman. He wasn't going to lie to himself and pretend that he wasn't fairly upset about the fact that they'd most likely never cross paths again. He did try, however, to convince himself that it was better for her sake, that she likely wouldn't want a life full of monsters and nightmares.

"I'm sorry for my brother's behavior. But, uh, thanks again for your offer. Have a good rest of your night, though, um, ma'am," Sam offered with a small wave. He hadn't intended to make the situation more awkward by addressing her in such a formal manner, but he figured it best to begin mentally erasing her from his thoughts. The sooner he forgot her name, the sooner he could stop thinking about her.

It was quickly apparent that the only person that had a say in the situation was Sam and he was most certainly was not budging on his decision. Eva had time only to interject the beginnings of coercion before Sam was practically dragging Dean out the door following his brief apology. The two boys were an interesting pair and markedly different from the usual crowd of bar-goers. Sure, Dean seemed to care more about a happy ending than anything but he was still light years ahead of the groping and slurred half-compliments that she usually dealt with.

She was nearly startled by Sam's use of an honorific. In an effort to perpetuate their night of "adventure" as he so aptly put it, she was determined to at least _stay_ on a first name basis. She pushed through the crowd only slightly, finding it difficult to navigate the rows of people.

"Eva!" She called after the two gentlemen halfheartedly, "My name's Eva! Thanks for... remembering..." Her voice dropped off, reduced to a mumble at the realization that the pair had little desire to listen, let alone respond. Sighing, she returned to the bar for one last drink before she headed out to hit the road.

"Ma'am?" Dean questioned disapprovingly, dropping into the driver seat of the impala and shutting the door with just enough force as to make his displeasure clear. "Why do you have to be such a cockblock? Man, Sammy. I didn't know you were so jealous. You should'a said something instead of making me look like an idiot."

Instead of waiting for Sam's response, Dean flicked on some music to drown out what he had already determined to be an excuse for Sam's _blatant_ jealousy that the girl had shown a _distinct_ preference for him over Sam. Sam would try to make a conversion out of it, but it was going to be a long drive and Sam would sooner run out of determination than Dean.


	3. As Coincidence

Eva was soon on the road, riding alongside some semi driver that she had convinced to let her tag along. That was the benefit of being an attractive woman when hitchhiking. It wouldn't be long before he would veer too far off the intended path or provide enough irritation so as to convince her to abandon hope and move onto the next. _That_ was the detriment of being an attractive woman when hitchhiking. On occasion, things would go really sour and the driver would make the poor assumption that she would be an easy mark or that she "really should thank him for being so kind." She was always quick to put an end to that.

This driver, luckily, appeared to be the friendly sort despite the mysterious stains on his white t-shirt underneath a frayed flannel vest and a smell that could only be described as beef jerky and desperation. The truck rattled and bounced along on the uneven highway as a transistor radio periodically broke the silence when it crackled and hissed out some words. The driver's name was William and he had gone by Will since he was old enough to talk, he had told Eva, but he was recently trying to switch to Bill. An embroidered patch on his vest read 'Will' so she figured the decision was still fairly recent.

She would pray later that day that Bill would have safe travels.

The Winchesters had stayed in town for a handful of days after Eva's departure. It was more difficult to find a job when they were casting such a narrow net, and it didn't help that demon activity had virtually disappeared. Sam suggested that it might have something to do with whoever pulled Dean from the pit. (He opted for whoever as opposed to whatever, considering that the boys were fairly certain they had figured out the _what_. Dean preferred not to humanize them in any way whatsoever.) Dean, however, was not quite willing to admit he might have some connection to a demon.

Finally, their metaphorical prayers were answered when Bobby called to inform them of some miscellaneous demonic omens in Newcastle, Wyoming. They weren't concrete and it wasn't certain that there was actually a demon there, but it was still better than anything else they had. So, within the hour, the boys were packed and on the road again.

Eva's own tip had her headed for Newcastle as well and she ended up with a four-day lead on the boys. There was no need to go in with guns blazing so Eva had decided on doing a little recon by going undercover before dealing with the supposed demon. Naturally, she found solace in a quaint little church called St. Patrick's and decided to pose as a nun. Regardless of whether or not it actually was a demon, the church would be a pleasant haven to retreat to should the need arise. Eva had met with Penelope on her first day in town to discuss the situation and the two agreed that it was best to evaluate what they were up against before doing anything rash.

"Sister Evangeline," The voice of the monsignor rung out throughout the empty church, echoing off the walls. She had been in the front pew praying when she had been interrupted. She liked to keep the Big Guy updated despite lack of communication on his part. Sometimes she questioned if he was even listening anymore. Still, it was a habit she kept.

"Yes, Monsignor?" She answered in a bright tone as she strode down the aisle to meet the monsignor and the boys. An amused smile graced her lips at the sight of the familiar faces in clerical clothing. She would have to throw her initial approach out the window now that she was going to have company. As the pair danced and tugged at the stiff, cheap costume versions of clerical clothing, it didn't take her long to put two and two together. She never was too strong a believer in coincidence. And, it should've been painfully obvious to her that they were hunters in the first place. At least, looking at them now, it was.

Perhaps she was _trying_ to overlook it before for whatever reason. Or maybe she was just getting rusty. She wasn't certain which was worse.

"I was speaking with these two gentlemen outside and apparently they're the newest additions to our family. Considering mass is starting soon, I'd like for you-" The Monsignor's gaze shifted to Eva and he paused at the sight of her amused expression, "What is it, Sister? Do you know these gentlemen?"

"Just familiar faces, surely," Eva responded with a shake of her head and a faux-embarrassed chuckle. She wasn't going to oust them and blow her own cover. And what would happen to her mischievous stranger status if she didn't make them sweat it out a little first?

"I'd be delighted to show them around, Monsignor," She remarked with a nod and a polite smile.

"Very well," The Monsignor smiled at Eva before turning to Sam and Dean, "We're lucky to have her. Such a wonderful personality and such devotion, a downright angel. Our attendance has increased tenfold since she arrived. Particularly the gentlemen have been flooding in like never before. Anyway, I'll leave you three to get acquainted." Eva glanced shyly to the ground at the Monsignor's glowing remarks before he clasped the boys on the shoulders and strode off. She cleared her throat, looking to the Winchesters once again. It really was quite the idea to imagine them as priests, considering what she knew of their behavior.

"It's a pleasure to _meet_ you, Father...?" Eva questioned for a name, jutting her hand out. Dean clasped her hand heartily, taking her lead and running with it. He definitely recognized her as the night was burned into his memory, but he wasn't going to mention it if she didn't.

"Banner. Bruce Banner," Dean grinned, clearly proud of his choice of alias as he always was.

Sam was, once again, caught up in his own thoughts. The Monsignor's words went in one ear and out the other as Sam stared down a face he was certain was familiar. His mind kept running back to just a few nights ago, but he had convinced himself that couldn't be the case. If it was, he was most concerned about the fact that the girl was a _nun_ of all things. He almost preferred that she might have been some supernatural creature. At least, in that case, he would've had a chance with her. On the bright side, it was some solace to know that Dean never had a chance with her.

Sam's brought back into reality as the back of Dean's hand hit him in the center of his chest as 'Sister Evangeline' waited expectantly for… something.

"Name," Dean coughed after glancing over at Sam's deer-in-headlights expression.

"Father Scott Lang," He finally broke the abnormally long silence. Not much else had come to mind for an alias so he hoped that this nun hadn't ever read Ant-Man. "Nice to meet you."

Eva responded with a smile and a nod as if it hadn't taken Sam a strangely long amount of time to spit that out.

"Pleasure's all mine," She remarked, shifting her attention to the parishioners that were beginning to trickle into the church, "Let's take our conversation elsewhere?"

Eva turned, motioning for the boys to follow her. It wasn't until the Winchesters were able to linger behind long enough to fall out of earshot that Sam spoke up again, "Does she look... _Familiar_ to you?"

Despite the fact that this woman had an uncanny resemblance and a similar name to the woman that they encountered at the bar just a few nights beforehand, Sam had made a determined effort to convince himself that there was no relation. Still, he would feel a lot more confident in his assumption if Dean were to back it up.

It _would_ be a bit of a stretch to assume that this was her. Being so far away from that curbside attraction, the odds were not in favor of it actually being her. Though, this wouldn't be the first time that the Winchester brothers crossed paths with somebody and with reason. Despite the concerning implications of a supposed coincidence, Sam had his fingers crossed that that was the case. Not that he would mention that to Dean.

"Familiar?" Dean questioned, eyeing her up once more to emphasize the point he was about to make. "No way. A girl like that would be a lot more than familiar to me if I had met her before. I've seen what nuns are like when you get them out of that dress." With a lopsided grin, Dean nudged Sam in the side with his elbow. It still hadn't occurred to Dean that this girl had next to no interest in him whatsoever, despite his pitiful attempt at wooing her before.

At his brother's dismissal, Sam shrugged. Whether or not it was her and whether or not he _wanted_ it to be her, they were here to stake out a demon. Unlike his brother, Sam wasn't going to let a girl distract him from his work, even if she was fairly distracting. The brothers quickened their pace to catch up to their tour guide as she turned a corner.

"So, uh," Sam spoke up, filling the momentary void in conversation and sounding a little less professional than he had intended to, "How long have you been here, Sister? Is there anything you could tell us about this place? Anything new?"

Eva chuckled, stopping in her tracks to turn around and face the boys. She had been planning on letting the facade drag on for a while longer, but it was like the boys weren't even trying. Maybe they had caught onto her? Unlikely, but it still was a possibility.

They had reached a portion of the church that was only open to the clergy. Preparing for the approaching mass had taken the attention of the handful of priests and nuns that belonged to this particular church so she felt fairly comfortable speaking freely.

"Anything new like what?" She questioned teasingly, "Rumors of _demons_ running around town? Are you always like this or is it just because I'm pretty?"

"Dude," Dean, who was momentarily concerned with her comment about demons, was overtaken by half-stifled laughter as he patted his brother on the shoulder, "That's rough."

"I wouldn't be so smug. I think we all recall what happens to you around a pretty face," She paused only to chuckle at Dean clearing his throat before she continued, "Any _way_ , shall we chat in a more private location, _Fathers_?"

It was hardly a suggestion as she pushed the boys along to a room where she could shut and lock the door. After doing so, she pulled off her headpiece freeing her familiar curls, which now looked peculiar against the significantly more modest clothing, "Amazing how _stifling_ those things are."

She crossed her arms over her chest with an amused smile as she examined the confused and concerned looks on the boys' faces.

"Alright. Secret's out," She raised her hands as if she had been caught in the middle of committing a crime, "I'm not actually a nun. Which I'm sure you're both thrilled about... For... _Varying_ reasons..." She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly as she directed the last comment at Dean. Her beaming smile returns only momentarily before being replaced with a slightly concerned expression at the sight of Sam.

" _Breathe_ , will you? ...Sam, wasn't it?" She acted if she needed a moment to recall the name. To be frank, she had no trouble remembering his name. And, that worried her. The last time she caught feelings for someone, it didn't end well for any party involved. But, she didn't linger on the thought too long, turning her attention back to Dean, "And, you never bothered to properly introduce yourself."

She wasn't cruel with her words. In fact, she appeared rather amused by the whole situation. That was due to the fact she _was_. The boys were standing in front of her, bowing their heads as if they were being reprimanded by the school principal. Despite the fact that coincidence didn't bode well with her, she was very, very amused.

"I'm Br-" Dean started with uncertainty clear in his voice as he questioned whether or not to stick to the charade. Eva cut him off, not allowing him to repeat back his alias, "Alright then. Fine. We have Sam and the Incredible Hulk. It's sweet of you two to come running to the rescue but I _think_ I have this one covered. It sounds too passive to be a demon to me but my friend Penelope called it in and she knows her stuff. Regardless of _what_ it is, I've ensured her that I will bring it to her unharmed. And, considering I have a funny feeling that you two are the 'shoot first, ask questions later' type, I'm going to have to ask you to go on your merry way."

Needless to say, Sam Winchester was left shocked for several reasons, and the fact that someone actually caught onto his and his brother's ridiculous aliases was hardly even close to topping the list. Perhaps the most pressing matter, even over the fact that was potentially a very dangerous supernatural creature wandering the town, was the fact that 'Sister Evangeline' actually was the girl from several nights ago. Sam had yet to determine whether or not the fact that she was a hunter was a positive or negative development.

He was hardly able to say anything. This time, not due to his wandering mind, but because the woman's pretentious narrative hardly allowed room for breath, let alone an argument. She certainly was confident and her comment to Sam to breathe produced a breathy chuckle of an ambiguous emotion from him.

" 'Go on our merry way?' As in leave?" Sam asked for clarification, though he knew damn well what she meant. His mind was still reeling, trying to conjure a response to her previous trillion statements, let alone form a coherent argument. He gestured toward his brother with his next statement, "I think I speak for the both of us when I say that's just not going to happen."

As a six-foot-four fully grown male, Sam wasn't sure how he felt about potentially going up against this girl. However, he could tell that she was quite the spitfire and it might be necessary if he and Dean were going to stand firm on their position. Technically, they _could_ leave it to her (not that Dean would ever agree to that) but Sam was unsure how she was so certain of herself when the majority of cases required both Winchesters. That, and they still didn't know if she was on their side for sure. For all they knew, she might as well be the demon. As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Sam's jaw clenched a bit as a reflex and his fists balled at his sides for a fraction of a second. Sam's optimism for the woman's true identity was slowly being whittled away.

"And, why would you bring a demon _unharmed_ to _anybody_?" That was absolutely a rhetorical question. Still, Sam didn't want to leave too much silence open for Dean to get a word in quite yet, though Sam was certain that Dean would if he had one. "Forget it. How about this: We catch this thing together and we deal with problems as they come?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean interjected, clearly finding fault with Sam's compromise, "Unharmed? What do you think this is? Some Disney movie where everybody sings a song and the demon is magically on our side? No. We find the damn thing. We kill it. End of story. And no nun with a knife is going to get in the way of that. Understood?" He stepped closer to Eva, arms crossed over his chest and a sour expression on his face. Eva responded with a sigh, turning away from the boys momentarily. There clearly was going to be no convincing them otherwise. The only option was to tag along with them and make sure they didn't screw _everything_ up.

"You have the _temper_ of the Hulk. You know that?" She faced the boys once more with a chuckle. They weren't going to take no for an answer. She hadn't expected it to go any other way. Still, she wasn't going to take no for an answer either. There were easier ways of resolving the situation and ensuring that the boys didn't interfere, but she liked the Winchesters for whatever reason so she wasn't keen on resorting to plan B. So she drops the cocky charade. They were going to find out sooner or later that she wasn't as superficial as she initially led them to believe and, in this case, sooner was better than later. Her compliance was unspoken, just as her defiance was. They would burn that bridge when they crossed it.

"We should talk to Penelope. She'd love to meet you, I'm sure. And she's better explaining these sorts of things. She's been tracking the thing for a while now, knows more about it than anyone else, I imagine. That is, if you trust me enough to not walk you into a trap. Put a gun to my head, I don't care. There's not time to waste on what-ifs," She insisted with a nod to Sam's clenched fists. The tension was evident between the three of them. Sam was more receptive to work with her but he still had his apprehensions. It was inevitable in a situation like this.

Dean, on the other hand, absolutely did not like her. He still held his initial grudge for her having hustled him. Perhaps that inspired further suspicion. Nevertheless, he felt that there was something off about her. The whole 'lone wolf' thing never boded well. Even worse, Sam was absolutely enthralled by this chick. Dean wanted to pull him aside and knock some sense into him. What the hell kind of person wanted to keep a demon alive and unharmed? The answer was a blatantly suspicious one.

Still, Dean _was_ trying to keep himself composed. It was easier to interrogate a demon if it was alive and, if Eva was something to be concerned about, he wanted to catch her off guard. It was easier to keep tabs on her if she tagged along so he had no arguments when she apparently agreed to do so. It was like she could read minds when she joked about leading them into a trap just as the concern dawned on him, which only made him more uneasy. Sam might have been ignoring the red flags and warning signs, but Dean absolutely was not and they were beginning to pile up.

"So? Are we going to go or are we just going to keep staring at each other's' pretty faces?" She teased as she playfully smacked the boys on their arms, "Let's roll out, bro-chachos."


	4. Old Friends

**Author's Note:** It's been so awesome to see people interested in my writing, even if it's not a ton. Extra thanks to those that go out of their way to write reviews! Sorry for the short chapter. I hope y'all enjoy it anyway!

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July 1990

"Like hell, you're leaving without me!" Azrael was practically screaming at John Winchester as he proceeded to pack the impala, slamming doors and trunk alike. The parking lot of some skeevy motel wasn't exactly the place for an argument, but it seemed to be where all theirs happened. This time, like many times before, she was more frustrated than angry. It had been quite some time since John was _really_ able to get under her skin. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if he _tried_ to start arguments.

Azrael had been an old friend of Mary's since before she had become a Winchester. They had crossed paths when Azazel rolled into Kansas and Azrael had been following in his footsteps to ensure he wasn't bringing about the end of the universe. She had a general policy to stay out of the public eye and to intervene in the lives of humans as little as possible. But, Azazel was a tricky bastard to keep tabs on and Azrael soon found herself fighting alongside the Campbells. After much convincing.

Azrael and Mary had grown fairly close during their time together, but their relationship quickly deteriorated when Azazel took it upon himself to kill Mary's family. With Azrael's lack of intervention, Mary grew distant and bitter towards the Archangel that had once been a closer friend than anyone else. Azrael swore up and down that she couldn't have changed the outcome – even if she wanted to and she _wanted_ to – for reasons she was unwilling to share. Regardless, Mary wanted to distance herself from the supernatural and she did just that, Azrael included. Despite over a decade of no communication, the news of Mary's death had brought Azrael into the Winchesters' lives once again.

"It's not open for discussion," John responded in a tone that hinted at the previous thousand times they had this argument. Azrael had been touring the country with the Winchesters ever since John had taken it upon himself to singlehandedly cleanse the planet of supernatural creatures. Despite his insistence that he worked alone, Azrael had been with John every step of the way to guarantee that he didn't meet an untimely demise.

As such, the boys had grown fairly comfortable with her presence and she even played the role of a babysitter when she felt comfortable enough to let John go out on his own. Despite all this, John liked to insist that she was an unnecessary burden to bring along on hunts at every chance he got.

Azrael opened her mouth to retaliate but quickly shut it at the sight of shifting blinds in the motel room window. She had to remind herself to keep her temper in check because this, like the majority of conversations between her and John, wasn't one for the boys to overhear. John – and Azrael, for that matter – were trying to keep them ignorant of the supernatural world for as long as possible.

Azrael instead drew close to John, dropping her voice to just above a whisper.

"You're right. It's not open for discussion. It was a bad enough idea to let you hunt at all. Now, there's no chance on God's green Earth that I'm going to let you hunt this thing _alone_. And, you better know damn well that I'm not doing it for the sake of _your_ sorry ass," She hissed at him as her gaze flitted to the motel room window once more.

"Those boys deserve better than this," She sighed, her gaze dropping to the gravel beneath her feet. Regardless of how everything worked out for them, she knew those boys were going to have a long road ahead. And, she wanted to let them just _be_ kids for as long as she had control over.

"Don't tell me what my boys do and don't deserve," John remarked gruffly as he dropped into the driver's seat of the impala. His words had had a lot more venom the first dozen times around. At this point, he was going through the motions more than anything. The argument always started the same and always ended the same. It never mattered what happened in the middle. So he had learned to save his breath. And that Azrael was just _fine_ with returning the punches he threw.

"You know, sometimes I think you forget just who you're dealing with," Azrael huffed, slipping into the passenger seat.

"I don't give a rat's ass who you are. You couldn't bring Mary back so you can't be all that powerful," John mumbled as he started up the impala. Despite how many times she had heard those same damn words, she could never get over how much they stung. John didn't know that, though. She made it a point of not letting anything John said outwardly affect her too much. Because if John knew that it upset her, he would soon figure out that she _could'_ ve done something. But, it was a lot easier to take the punch than to explain that she was scared.

"You know something, John? You really _are_ an ass," Azrael remarked with an absentminded sigh as she settled back into her seat. There wasn't any strong emotion behind her words anymore. They had moved past that a long time ago.

"Right back at you," John retorted just as emptily as he flicked on some music to fill the upcoming silence. The impala backed out of its parking spot and rolled out of the parking lot with tires squealing.


	5. And New Friends

**Updated 1/2**

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"Like hell, you're leaving without me," Eva responded without hesitation at Dean's suggestion that they split up for some 'investigative research.' He certainly wanted to keep an eye on this chick. There was no doubt about that. Still, he wanted to have a few moments of just him and Sam to remind his brother to not put not much stock in the girl. She had already conned them once and Dean didn't want it happening again in a life or death situation.

"Penelope has _all_ the information we need," She insisted, following close in the Winchesters' footsteps toward the impala. She wasn't intending on letting them out of her sight long enough to ruin everything.

"Dean _meant_ that—" Sam started, trying to resolve some of the tension between them, but Eva wasn't exactly in a patient mood.

"I don't _care_ what he meant. You're not getting rid of me that easily," She emphasized, her hand resting on the handle of the rear passenger side door.

"We don't want to get rid of you," Sam sighed, staring down at the door handle.

"I do," Dean remarked smugly, pulling his own door open.

"Dean," Sam warned, shooting his brother a look over the top of the impala.

"Well, I don't care what you _want_ either. We're a team now. I'm not happy about it either. But, we have to do what's in the team's best interest," Eva insisted, dropping into the rear seat of the impala. The boys shared a silent conversation before following suit.

"First," Dean stated sharply, adjusting his rearview mirror so that her slim frame sat squarely in it.

"We," he paused to motion at the three of them, "are not a team."

"We," he motioned between him and Sam, "are a team. Second, what makes you so damn sure you know what's best?"

" _Dean_ ," Sam interjected with a huff, turning to his brother. He was really trying to mediate the whole thing, but Dean didn't exactly play nice with strangers.

"What? Don't 'Dean' me, Sammy. You know just as well as I do that we don't trust this chick as far as we could throw her. She knows it, too." Dean gaze shifted back to the girl's reflection in his rearview mirror, waiting for a response. She scoffed before placing a hand on either of the boys' seats and leaning forward to make damn sure they heard what she was about to say.

"Don't you think I would've tried to kill you already if I wanted to? You're not the center of the universe, sweetheart. I'm just trying to do my job." With that, she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, I'm going to do _my_ job," Dean flipped around in his seat to look back at her properly, "If you get in the way of that—"

"Yeah, I get it. You'll do whatever unimaginable thing comes to mind. This isn't my first rodeo, cowboy," She rolled her eyes. Dean grumbled some profanity under his breath as his faced forward once again and turned on some music to drown out any additional comments she or Sam might make.

The car ride was fairly silent – save for the music and the occasional direction from Eva – and, thankfully, short. It was only a handful of minutes before the impala pulled in the driveway of a cute yellow house. The grass was a perfect shade of green and neatly trimmed and the pathway up to the red-painted door was lined with flowers and various garden decorations.

Stepping out of the car, the Winchesters glanced around suspiciously. They were almost certain Eva had directed them to the wrong place.

"A hunter lives here?" Sam questioned uncertainly.

"Dude, garden gnomes," Dean remarked with a nod and thumb sticking out towards the aforementioned objects. Sam shuddered. He never liked those creepy little things.

"Olivia does the decorating," Eva answered as if they should have meant something to either of the Winchesters. She doesn't linger in the yard like the boys do, instead making a beeline for the front door and ringing the bell.

"Did you get the Mentos?" A female voice rung out from behind the door, followed by quickly approaching footsteps.

"I think I can get it above the house this time," The redheaded woman beamed as the door swung open. Her smile faltered only briefly as she realized Eva and the boys were not who she thought they were with a soft, "Oh."

"You are _so_ strange. I honestly worry about you sometimes," Eva responded with furrowed eyebrows, placing her hands on the woman's shoulders.

"It's _science_. You know the whole Mentos and Coke thing? I was thinking 'what if I did that with carbonated water'? So I _did_. So _then_ I was thinking 'what if I turned it into some sort of holy water gun'? So, that's the point I'm at," She was practically vibrating underneath Eva's hands as recounted her latest 'experiment.'

"Squirt guns," Eva answered with a sigh, pushing past the redhead and into the foyer of the house.

"Oh," The other woman looked disappointed only briefly before her childlike excitement was brought back to life, "Oh, well. Olivia's still bringing me Mentos."

"Penelope," Eva started, motioning for the boys to follow her into the house. Dean enters with little hesitation, but Sam lingers outside a little longer. After getting a good, solid look at the garden, he steps inside.

" _Please_ stop calling me that. No one calls me that anymore and it makes me feel like my skin's sagging so much that I have to hold it up with clothespins," With every word, she spoke faster and faster until it all blurred together into one long string of syllables. Her excitement seemed to peak at the end of every sentence, reset by the start of a new one. "It's Poppy now."

"Fine, _Poppy_. These are my new… coworkers," Eva finished exasperatedly. She loved Penelope, Poppy, _whatever_. She really did. But, the girl absolutely drained her.

"Poppy Walters, hunter extraordinaire and self-proclaimed mad scientist," Poppy beamed, jutting her hand out to the boys.

"Dean," The older brother answered with a toothy grin as he shook the girl's hand. Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad move after all. She was a little crazy, maybe, but that meant she was likely into some crazy stuff.

"S-Sam," The younger answered with a polite smile. She certainly wasn't like any other hunter they had ever met. Sam shot his brother a glance to gauge his thoughts on the redhead. At the sight of him staring and practically drooling, Sam tapped his arm to remind him that they were on a job. Poppy stood still for a moment, studying the boys before nodding firmly as if they had passed some secret test.

"Maybe we _all_ could do some co-work," Poppy half-whispers teasingly as she nudges Eva in the side with her elbow. Color immediately flushed Eva's cheeks. It was one thing to flirt with someone to con them out of their cash. It was another entirely when Poppy tried to court her with someone.

"Penelope Anne Walters, you are in a relationship. With a _woman_ no less," Eva shook her head. Poppy had a way of getting under Eva's skin. They had known each other for a long time and old friends made a habit of that.

"I can still admire fine craftsmanship," Poppy exclaims, suddenly not concerned with even pretending to be subtle.

"I'm sure you and Dean would have a ton of fun admiring each other's craftsmanship," Eva scoffed. She hadn't intended to feed into Poppy's sexual fantasies, but the comment had slipped out before she had a chance to stop herself.

"Oh, you have a thing for the tall one? Noted," Poppy clicks her tongue at Sam with a wink and Eva's eyes widened with concern.

"Will you – Where is Olivia when I need her? _Somebody_ has to keep you civil," Eva threw her hands up into the air, clearly flustered by Poppy's remark. She glanced Sam to gauge how much her response had affected her, but his expression had yet to change since he stepped in the doorway.

"Mentos," Poppy sang out as Eva could only manage a sigh.

"Lovely. Just go get your research, will you?" Eva asked, pinching the bridge of her nose as Poppy disappeared further into the house. It was going to be a rough job.

Eva led the boys into the living room and sat them on a couch. The silence was understandably awkward as they waited for Poppy to return. Though they were all certain she could've been gone only a few minutes, the wait felt painfully long. So Sam decided to try and fill the void.

"So, uh, is… is Olivia a hunter, too?" He questioned, toying with a weird bird knickknack that sat on the end table beside him.

"No. Just Penelo—Poppy's girlfriend," Eva responded as she glanced around the room distractedly. Her response was short and didn't exactly encourage conversation and her gaze was trying very hard to not fall on Sam.

"Does she know about… all of this?" He stopped messing with the bird, leaning forward slightly as he folded his hands in his lap.

"Yes. They've been together for quite some time. And, though it might seem otherwise, they're very committed. Sorry, Dean," Eva remarked in an absentminded tone. Her mind was on something else. She was wondering whether the walls were painted eggshell or porcelain. She had narrowed it down to the two, but couldn't place it. Dean only offered half a chuckle at her words.

Since conversation clearly wasn't going well, Sam decided he was better off waiting in silence. Another handful of minutes passed before Poppy came skidding into the room with a couple manila folders, a marked map of the city, and several miscellaneous papers. She dumped the contents of her arms onto the coffee table and Eva went to work organizing it. She only paused to lift her gaze to Poppy and ask, "Eggshell or porcelain?"

"Ivory," Poppy responded, nodding much more than needed as her chest heaved up and down due to her energy being clearly spent collecting her things.

"Damn it," Eva remarked under her breath, upset that ivory hadn't even been in her final five, and dropped her gaze back to the papers on the coffee table.

"It's a nice shade," Eva added before returning to sifting through Poppy's work.

The Winchesters were both dumbfounded. They had run into some weird things in their lifetimes, but nothing was _this_ shade of crazy. The boys were beginning to question whether or not the two of them were actually hunters or some bible-thumping looney bin escapees. Just as Dean opened his mouth to make an exit, Eva finished her work and Poppy sat down to begin her explanation. It was like a switch was flipped and the Winchesters had been returned to the real world.

"Alright, so I've been tracking any suspicious deaths in the town for the past few months when everything went quiet. And I'm talking the kind of suspicious that's only suspicious to the trained eye because it was dead silent around here," Poppy remarked, shifting forward to point to over a dozen red Xs across the town map.

"The ones circled in black are the ones that ended up actually being something. Or rather, they weren't debunked when I went out to investigate, which leaves us at six. Two house fires with no source, one break-in with no entry points, and three supposed suicides – all which were extremely happy with their lives on the rise. But, not the supernatural kind of on the rise." She pointed out each individual mark as they were mentioned.

"One thing," Poppy holds up a single finger to emphasize her point, "in common. They all had a dinner party immediately before their death, were exactly an hour into one, actually. Hotshot over here didn't think it was a demon."

"I thought it was a poltergeist. Cursed object, maybe. It seemed too systematic for a demon. None of the vics had anyone in common when it came to the guest list," Eva clarified, crossing her arms at what she felt was a slight personal attack from Poppy.

"But?" Sam questioned, sensing that there must be something else to the situation.

" _But_ ," Eva sighed, "I've dealt with this guy before and he has an M.O. – a single white lily on the vic's chest."

"Why?" Sam was again the one to question.

"He's an ass," Eva offered with a shrug and a shake of her head.

"So what do we do?" Dean spoke up this time. He more concerned about the course of action over the motivations of a demon.

"We invite him to dinner," Poppy chimed in, scooping up her research in one smooth motion and leaving the boys and Eva in silence once again.

A few hours of preparation and a change of clothes later, Poppy and Olivia had left the house, which was now decked out in devil's traps in every free inch of space, to Eva and the Winchesters. Just inside the front door of the house, Eva sat on a large tub of rock salt, drumming her fingers on its side, and the boys each held a jug of holy water.

"This is a stupid idea," Dean muttered, setting the holy water at his feet.

"It's not a stupid idea. He'll show," Eva insisted.

"Yeah, I don't know. I think Dean might be right on this one," Sam agreed reluctantly, shooting a glance between his brother and Eva. "Demons are exactly the type to respond to a dinner invitation."

"Maybe it's because you have a bad reputation," She replied, placing her hands on her thighs.

"And you have a good one? With _demons_?" Dean questioned. That didn't exactly make him feel better about the situation.

"What? What is it about me that makes you have so little faith?" Eva demanded as she rose to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest as she stalked closer to Dean, "This can't _seriously_ be about your money. Because if that's the case, that's childish. Childish and petty."

Dean opened his mouth to retaliate but the ringing of the doorbell interrupted him. Eva shoulder's relaxed as she let out a breath and brushed herself off as if she might have gotten her pants dirty by just sitting there.

"That's him," She remarked calmly with a nod to the holy water. Dean complied by picking up his gallon again and unscrewing the cap.

Eva inhaled sharply before swinging the door open in a wide arc. She motioned inward silently with a nod and stepped aside to allow the visitor to enter. As soon as she closed the door behind him, Sam and Dean drenched him in holy water, sending him stumbling back into a devil's trap.

"That's a low blow," The man hissed as his skin sizzled from contact with the holy water. "I thought we ended on a good note."

"Long time, no see, buddy. Nice suit. Sorry, this dinner party's going to be a little more intimate than your usual soirees. Have a seat, won't you?" Eva offered in mock kindness as she slid a dining chair into the devil's trap.

"Never change, darling," The demon chuckled as he pulled the chair close and straddled it. His gaze bounced between the Winchesters as an amused grin slowly spread across his lips, "You showing off for your new buddies?"

When his question elicited no response, he grinned widened as he concluded that he knew something she didn't. He absentmindedly added, "You know, word on the street is that you're dead."

"As a doornail," She agreed sarcastically, extending her arms to show how obviously not dead she was. "What killed me this time?"

"I'd say your brother, but he hasn't been around for a while, has he?" The demon offered a toothy grin, tilting the chair forward on two of its legs and the wood creaked unhappily under his weight. Eva was visibly bothered by his remark, her eyebrows knitting together as her teeth sunk into her lip.

"Can we cut the high school reunion?" Dean interjected, pushing past Eva and striding to the edge of the devil's trap. He was a man on a mission.

"Enough fucking around. Which one of your buddies pulled me from the pit?" Dean demanded, drifting dangerously close to being within reach of the demon.

"Dean," Eva interrupted half-heartedly, placing a hand on his should which he quickly shrugged off. The demon chuckled at the sight of them.

" _My_ buddies? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're barking up the wrong tree, boy. You should ask your girlfriend here about that," He nodded to Eva at which the Winchesters' gazes follow. "She knows a whole hell of a lot more than she's leading you to believe. Pun not intended."

"I'd be careful what I was saying if I were you," Eva retorted, though the words came out a lot less intimidating than intended.

"Oh, I don't know. I've got a lot of secrets to spill and very little time," The demon idly picked at the wood of the chair, his smug grin unfortunately pinned to his face.

"Stop," Eva demanded with more urgency and desperation than authority.

"You'd think being all buddy-buddy with the Winchesters would make you braver." The demon leans back slightly and the legs of the chair that had been hanging in the air hit the ground with a soft thud.

"The Win…?" Eva parroted in a soft voice before it dropped off entirely and she glanced back to the boys.

"Oh, didn't you know?" The demon sang out, rocking back and forth in the chair. "The things I could tell the Winchesters about you…"

Eva had gone silent at the realization of just who she was running with. Years of delicate planning to stay off the radar of a very specific few had gone to waste now that she had put a target on her back. She was going to be dragged back into something she very much wanted to avoid. Just breathing the same air as the Winchesters was dangerous enough for her and now she had unwittingly joined their crusade against god-knows-what for god-knows-how-long.

"What are you planning?" Eva piped up again, trying to keep the topic of conversation away from her history. She didn't want the demon to get any further than he already had.

"Isn't it Dean-o's turn for a question? He might have a few things to ask you," He teased, clearly enjoying the deterioration of what little team dynamic Eva and the boys previously had.

" _No_ , not this," She answered impatiently, motioning back towards the Winchesters. She paced around the edge of the devil's trap, studying the demon inside of it, "What are you _all_ planning? You've gone dead silent, radio static. What are you all up to?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He laughed, his head turning to follow her as she made circles around him.

"I could _make_ you tell me," Eva spat at him, stopping dead in her tracks. Her muscles were tense again as she stood just on the edge of the circle with clenched fists, rocking back and forth ever so slightly and threatening to pounce.

"In front of your new friends? Wouldn't that spoil the surprise?" He asked, tilting his head in false innocence.

"Why do you have to make things so difficult?" Eva finally cried out what had apparently been pent up in her since the moment the demon stepped in the door.

"You're being very cruel," She added in a soft voice.

"Only one of us can walk out of here. You said it yourself. Isn't that why you invited me over?" The demon's cockiness faltered, genuine confusion flooding his features briefly before being replaced with a forced smile.

"Of course not. I thought… I hoped…" Eva's gaze dropped to the floor, each of her words becoming more muddled and quiet.

"Always the optimist," The demon chuckled, but it was a broken, reminiscent kind of chuckle. The kind that only graced the lips of a dying man.

"You won't tell me anything?" Her plea was phrased as a question, but anyone within earshot could deduce its true intention. The conversation between the two clearly meant more than just the words that were spoken.

"There's nothing to tell," The demon's words were soft and sad, far different from his initial demeanor.

Eva seemed to consider it a moment, her eyes running up and down the demon before she determined that there was no reason to delay the inevitable. In one fluid motion, Eva pulled a blade and buried it in the demon's jar. His eyes and mouth glowed brightly briefly before Eva retracted the blade and the body the demon was possessing fell limp.

"You were always more trouble than you were worth, Danny boy," Eva mumbled, shaking her head. Her gaze flitted to the Winchesters only briefly before she went to work packing her things. The boys were silent for a long moment as she did so.

They had watched the scene unfold in front of them with mild amusement until the mood shift had hit. The new information had certainly changed Sam's outlook of Eva and only reinforced Dean's. Neither had gotten a good chance to look at Eva's blade, but, with the way she and the demon interacted, they were fairly certain that they had encountered something similar before.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Dean was finally able to bring himself into motion again and grab Eva's wrist to prevent her from continuing.

"What do you mean?" She mumbled as she yanked her wrist free to continue packing.

"Don't play dumb," Dean demanded, wedging himself between Eva and her things so that she was forced to give him an answer, "The hell was that? Where did you get that blade?"

"A friend," Eva huffed, crossing and uncrossing and crossing her arms again.

"A _demon_ friend? Because the only friends demons have are _demons_!" Dean shouted, her clenched fists threatening to swing into action.

"I don't know. I've heard you two have gotten pretty frisky with a demon," Eva countered sharply and Dean's gaze flitted to Sam before returning to her. " _And_ I stepped in and out of that devil's trap, no problem. Doesn't that put a hole in your theory?"

Dean opened his mouth to snap back at her, but he couldn't find the words. No demon that they had run into before had been able to escape a devil's trap, let alone just walk out of one. So he instead found a new issue with her. He had been making a mental list for this moment.

"What was with the whole 'sympathy for the devil' deal then?"

"We used to be friends," She answered shortly.

"With a demon?"

"Again, I really don't think you're in the place to criticize. Besides, you'd never understand." It was a rather long story and she didn't think the boys had the time or the patience to sit around and listen to it.

"Oh, _please_ try to enlighten me," His voice dripped with sarcasm and apathy which elicited a very sour expression from Eva.

"Screw you," She snapped, sidestepping Dean to continue collecting her things.

"Oh, now. That's real cute. What do you know about me being pulled from the pit?" He barked at her and her eyes widened ever so slightly.

"What? Nothing!" Her response was immediate, barely giving Dean time to finish his thought. She had seemed startled by the question, dropping the container of salt that was in her hands and turning to Dean was again.

"He said—" Dean started to counter her response, but she was again quick to interrupt.

"Demons lie, Dean. Is that new to you? They try to get under your skin. And, you're _letting_ them!"

"Oh, your buddy would set you up?" Dean wasn't anywhere near done with grilling her.

"I said we _used_ to be friends." Dean's shouting had caused her to raise her voice significantly. She was practically screaming at this point, her answer soaked with venom that would intimidate even the most confident of regular men. But, the Winchesters unfortunately weren't regular men.

"What about what he said about someone being after you? Who would that be?" Sam spoke up reluctantly. He so desperately wanted her to just be a normal girl. He had to admit that he felt _something_ for her and now it was just as likely that she was some demon on steroids than anything else.

Eva looked between the boys with an exasperated sigh before throwing her hands up in the air, " _God,_ Sam. You, too? I don't know. All of heaven and hell maybe? You boys aren't exactly a lucky charm. You're a death omen."

There was a period of silence where the boys tried to swallow what she had just said. They couldn't exactly deny the truth in it. Still, it was hard to hear. No one else ever wanted to talk about it. And, the boys could pretend it wasn't exactly true if it was just a thought. Now that it had been spoken, it felt a lot more real.

"Either way, we have to find out what raised my ass," Dean remarked, looking to Eva, "Coming?"

"What's the plan?" She asked reluctantly, although she had no motivation to hear it. She wanted to put as much distance between her and the boys as she could manage, but she had an aching feeling that wasn't going to be an option.

At her question, the boys shared a glance. They had had an alternative plan that had gotten bulldozed by Eva's when they rolled into town.

"We know a chick," Dean answered shortly, not caring to elaborate for who he now considered public enemy number one.

"A séance," Sam clarified and Eva swallowed thickly. Participating in a séance was like phoning in with her location.

"You know, I think I might sit this one out," Eva half-chuckled in a poor attempt to ease some of the tension as she spun on her heels to make a beeline for the exit.

"I wasn't really giving you a choice, sweetheart," Dean remarked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Every muscle in her body tensed at the contact. She _hated_ when she was right.


	6. Suffer the Consequences

There was a short preparation before Eva, the boys, and Pamela sat around a small table covered in a black cloth painted with a conjuring sigil and several white candles seated in the center. Pamela was an interesting character to Eva, a supposed psychic who seemed more interested in flirting with Sam and Dean rather than finding anything.

Regardless of her romantic endeavors, she had apparently taken a particular interest in Eva as she had been shooting her peculiar glances as if there were something about the woman she couldn't quite place. Unfortunately for Eva, it was never brought into conversation as Pamela was either more focused on the task at hand or Dean Winchester.

"I just don't think this is a good idea," Eva muttered as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It wasn't the first time she had vocalized her distaste for the séance. She had repeated the phrase like a broken record on the ride over to Pamela's house. Still, she wanted to make her opinion of the proceedings known despite the fact she was certain that the boys had just started to ignore her voice altogether.

"There's nothing to worry about. I'm just going to take a sneak peak," Pamela flashed a smile across the table to Eva as if her comment might settle the latter's nerves. "Whatever it is won't even know you're here."

Eva's concern, however, ran far above Pamela's pay grade. It wasn't some childish fear of the unknown. It was, in fact, the exact opposite. Eva's gaze ran along the conjuring sigil and into her lap before she shot a glance to Dean to her left.

"What if you don't like what you find out?" She questioned, wringing her hands in her lap. She was fairly positive whatever information was brought out through the séance wouldn't be enough to satisfy Dean.

He studied her for a moment before coming to the indisputable conclusion that she knew something she wasn't willing to tell. Consequently, watching her mumble out her words and fidget like an antsy child made him confident that he was on the right track to coax it out of her. He had designated her on the enemy lines of whatever war he was currently engaged in so the more uncomfortable she was, the better he felt.

"Well, I don't like being some demon's bitch. I need to know why whatever it is did what it did. I'm not owing my life to anyone," Dean retorted with a sharpness that indicated the insult was directed _at_ Eva, rather than a general statement. Eva consequently fell silent, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. The silence permeated the room, dampening the mood until Pamela decided to speak up.

"Well, then. Let's get this show on the road. Take each other's hands," She instructed with a nod to the participants. Eva offered her right hand to Sam who took it with little resistance. She wasn't fortunate enough, however, to get the same cordiality from Dean. She wiggled her fingers at him, waiting patiently for him to comply with Pamela's instruction. He was the one who wanted to go through with this, after all.

"What? Do I have to switch seats?" She scoffed, glancing to Sam as if to conjure some support in the situation.

"Yeah," Dean answered almost immediately and remarkably seriously, staring down at her hand as if it might bite him and take a good chunk of him with it.

"Are you serious?" She questioned disbelievingly and Sam muttering his brother's name in a scolding tone echoed the sentiment. It was apparently enough to convince Dean to behave himself as he snatched her hand up and grumbled something under his breath.

"Now, I need to touch something our mystery monster touched," Pamela purred, clearly pleased to see the tension dissolved. She reached underneath the table, seeming to be acting on her statement until Dean jumped and slammed his knees against the underside of the table. The candles teetered and threatened to fall over briefly before settling down in their upright positions.

"Whoa! Well, he didn't touch me _there_ ," Dean insisted, trying to regain his composure as quickly as possible.

"My mistake," Pamela chuckled which elicited an amused but slightly concerned look from Sam. Eva was just glad all the attention was no longer dedicated to her. However, the jovial air quickly dissipated once again as Dean lifted the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a handprint burned into his shoulder. Eva's eyes widened slightly at the sight of it and her gaze flitted around the table to see if anyone had witnessed her reaction. Luckily, Sam was far too engrossed with concern and Pamela with her conjuring ritual to pay attention to the stranger.

"This is a _bad_ idea," Eva muttered in a voice so quiet that it got lost in the sound of shifting bodies and gentle sighs. She swallowed thickly but obliged herself to follow suit and close her eyes when the others did.

Pamela began chanting: "I invoke, conjure, and command you – appear unto me before this circle."

With every repetition, the pit in Eva's stomach grew deeper and deeper until she was certain it was going to swallow her whole. She felt unsteady and nauseous, feelings she hadn't experienced for a good portion of her lifetime. Sam's hand tightened around her own and she wondered if it was due to his own nerves or the fact that her hand was shaking in his.

Her sense of dread only worsened when a nearby TV flicked on, static humming in the background. The table began to wobble beneath them and Eva's eyes snapped open. Instinctually, her hand sought for comfort in Sam's once again, tightening her grip so much that she feared cutting off his circulation.

"Castiel?" Pamela questioned, pausing to listen to the apparent response. Eva's gaze bounced anxiously between Pamela and Dean, who had opened his eyes as well, eager to garner whatever information he could about the supposed demon. "No. Sorry, Castiel. I don't scare easy."

"Castiel?" Dean questioned incredulously, shifting in his seat.

"Its name," Pamela responded, turning her head slightly toward Dean. Her eyes remained shut as she spoke, clearly determined to not let Castiel out of her reach. "It's whispering to me, warning me to turn back."

"Maybe you should listen," Eva interjected timidly but her comment appeared to go unheard. Briefly, she considered disrupting the séance herself, but it was developing too quickly for her to intervene without raising markedly more suspicion than she already had.

"I conjure and command you – show me your face," Pamela was again chanting but now with more ferocity than before. The words were clear and crisp and strong and, with each repetition, the table began to rattle beneath them even more.

"Pamela, you _need_ to stop," Eva insisted, her voice finally rising above the background noise. Concern was evident in it, though it now sounded as if it were for more than just herself.

"I almost got it," Pamela snapped, if only in acknowledgment, before returning to her chant.

"Show me your face _now_!" Pamela demanded. The flames of the candles burned to impossible heights and the table threatened to tip over as Pamela screamed. A bright light glowed from her eyes as blood began to leak from them and run down her cheeks. Finally, Pamela collapsed and everything in the room returned to its natural state.

Eva was the first to jump back from the table, nearly falling over her chair in the process as her eyes widened with concern and fear. The trio was paralyzed in those positions for a moment before they all jumped into action. Sam tore away from the table to call 911 and Eva and Dean dropped to the floor to see if Pamela was still alive. Eva cradled her in her arms and Dean made no movement to stop her. This wasn't the time for an argument.

Pamela's eyelids snapped opened, but they revealed no eyes. The flesh was burnt and bloodied. If she were able, she would have been sobbing. Pamela lamented and screamed about her lack of vision and Eva tried in vain to comfort her.

After getting off the phone, Sam went to work stowing anything that would be of concern to the paramedics that arrived shortly after. They placed Pamela on a gurney and raced her off to the hospital. Two of them stayed behind to question the trio about the situation. Eva, however, managed to weasel her way out of answering questions by claiming to be too grief-stricken to do so. Not caring to overhear what sort of story the boys invented, she stepped outside for a bit of fresh air in a poor attempt to calm her nerves. Arms crossed, she paced back and forth so many times that she was surprised she had failed to carve out a rut beneath her feet.

Finally, the paramedics vacated the house, leaving Eva and the boys to themselves. They were all silent for a long time, staring blankly at whatever was in their line of vision. There was a lot to say, but most of it would remain unsaid.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean suddenly demanded of Eva. She lifted her gaze from the floorboards she had been studying in great detail and cocked her head to the side slightly.

"I don't—" That was as far as she had gotten before Dean had her pinned against the wall with Ruby's knife to her throat.

" _Dean!_ " Sam's voice was wrought with a subtle desperation as he tore his brother from Eva. Her chest rose and fell in rapid breaths as the brothers fought against each other.

"You knew that was going to happen to her!" Dean accused, his words dripping with venom as he stabbed the air with the blade on each.

"I knew… it was a possibility," Eva remarks in a soft voice. The admission had stunned Sam slightly and gave Dean the opportunity to take action. Despite it being the truth, it apparently wasn't a satisfying answer as Dean again pinned Eva against the wall with visceral aggression.

"And you didn't stop it?" He spat at her, regarding her as though she had blinded Pamela herself.

"I tried, Dean! You didn't want to listen!" Eva shouted, clearly distraught at the assumption that she had played an intentional role in blinding Pamela.

"All of this is your fault!" Dean roared, clenching his jaw as he bore down harder on the blade nearly breaking the skin of her throat.

" _My_ fault?" She echoed defensively. The accusation that she played any role in aiding this was borderline sickening to her. She had told him repeatedly that the séance wouldn't end well and to claim her as anything other than an innocent bystander was just downright wrong. Clenching her fists, she pressed her lips into a thin line as she reminded herself that taking a swing wouldn't help anyone. She instead pushed Dean off of her and headed for the door. It was what she should have done in the first place — run and never look back.

"What else aren't you telling us? That you _wanted_ this to happen? Because she was going to find your demon buddy?" Dean called after her. He had settled enough to remain by his brother's side, but still didn't sheath Ruby's blade in case he needed it.

"Dean, I know just as much as you do!" Eva stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face the boys once again. She sounded hurt by the accusation. Hell, she even looked a little heartbroken. Still, Dean had resolved to not believe anything he deemed manipulation on her part.

"Who is Castiel?" Dean demanded, his grip on Ruby's knife tightening. He was going to get something out of her if it killed him.

"I don't know," Eva mumbled hopelessly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What does it want?" Dean wasn't going to stop until he got something, _any_ thing.

"I don't know!" She shouted, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.

" _What_ is it?" Dean was practically growling at this point. He was damn near ready to bury the knife in her chest and call it a day.

"I… I _don't_ know!" She squeezed her eyes shut as if she could just wish the boys away. She was nearing desperation, just hoping for Dean to stop grilling her so she could pretend it was all a bad dream. She never wanted to get caught up in all of this.

"You're lying!" Dean insisted. Whether he had caught on or he was simply dissatisfied with her answers, she couldn't tell. She was quiet for a moment, her teeth bearing down hard on her lip.

"An angel, Dean. It's an angel," Her voice was quiet and gentle, wrought with an emotion that neither Winchester could place. The reactions from Sam and Dean were mutually incredulous and surprised. Neither brother was quite ready to believe in the existence of angels.

"You're lying," Dean insisted again, but his words had lost their venom. "Angels aren't real. No hunter we've ever run into has ever crossed paths with one."

"Well, I have," Eva mumbled, her gaze dropping to the floorboards once again. Whatever experience she had had with them clearly wasn't a good one.

"If angels are real – and, they _aren't_ – what does one want with me?" Dean questioned as though this one woman had been hoarding all the answers to every question he had.

"I don't know. I really don't. All I know is that the second I get the chance, I'm putting as many miles as possible between me and you." She sounded scared. There was no doubt about that. There was a story behind her concern, which both Winchesters had a growing curiosity in. The only question was whether or not it was genuine.

"You're not going anywhere," Dean ordered, stepping towards Eva with fists clenched.

" _You're_ not going to stop me," Eva retorted with so much sudden bite that it startled the boys. She had had enough of this Winchester business. It was time to cut her losses and run. "The only reason I stayed with you for this long is because I was hoping, I was _praying_ I was going to be proven wrong. But, I wasn't. So, I'm not sticking around to get caught up in this mess any more than I already have!"

"Eva…" Sam's voice hit her like a ton of bricks. Between all the shouting and arguing with Dean, she had nearly forgotten he was there. She had nearly forgotten that issues could be resolved with kindness and sincerity. She swallowed thickly before clearing her throat.

"I can't stay. Even if I wanted to. There's too much at risk." Her demeanor had suddenly changed with this statement. She spoke with a forced stoicism and regarded the boys in a mechanical way that they hadn't seen before.

"What does that mean?" Sam questioned, clearly not impressed with the mood shift.

"It means goodbye," She stated very calmly with a short nod to each Winchester before she spun on her heels and walked out the door. She had only made it out the front door before she paused and turned back to the boys, her sincerity returning only briefly. "And good luck. I hope we meet again while we're all still on this side of things."

With that, she started off down the road and left the boys in a peculiar silence as they again wondered what exactly she had meant. Eva didn't know where she was going. She didn't for how long or how she'd get there. She was just hoping she'd find her way, just as she had hundreds of times before. After she disappeared from sight, the boys stood still for a few long minutes, considering all that had happened.

"I still don't trust her," Dean remarked, slowly making his way to the impala. And, Sam had no rebuttal.


End file.
